Hahndorf Inn

The Hahndorf Inn is the historic 1863 German hotel at 35 Mount Barker Road, and it is one of the Adelaide Hills' most dependable dog-friendly tables. The venue's own house rule says it plainly: dogs are welcome across the outdoor seating, including the laneway beer garden and the street-side tables, and the venue asks you to book and mention the dog so you land in the right spot.

The dog setup

Dogs sit in the laneway, the beer garden and the outdoor tables along Mount Barker Road; the indoor dining room is off limits except for accredited assistance dogs. Staff are used to canine guests, but the room is big and the crowd is loud, so a dog that settles calmly under the table copes far better than a nervous one. Water bowls are usually provided, though bringing your own collapsible bowl removes the guesswork on a packed weekend.

The food

This is serious German pub food: pork knuckle that dominates the table, pretzels, pork ribs, German sausages and chicken schnitzel, washed down with German beers by the stein or on a tasting paddle. Live music and stein-clinking are part of the deal, doors open from mid-morning to late evening daily, and weekend lunchtimes are the busiest stretch of the whole week.

Getting there and parking

The inn sits on the main street through the middle of Hahndorf, about half an hour from Adelaide. Street parking along Mount Barker Road fills quickly on weekends, so fall back to the side streets such as Pine Avenue and walk the last stretch.

Pair it with

The main street itself is a scenic on-leash stroll, and the whole village is built for wandering. For more outdoor tables in the same stretch, German Arms Hotel and The Haus Restaurant both take dogs on their terraces, and Wunderbar Dog Haus keeps the German theme going up the road.

The rest of the village is on the Hahndorf destination page, with every South Australian option in the SA restaurants index.